Pokemon Spirit Legacy
by OneMillionReasons
Summary: There is a secret that only reveals itself to the greatest of trainers. After Red's victory at the Indigo Plateau, researches such as Professor Elm are trying to find it. The legend continues three years later in the Johto Region. A novelization of GSC.
1. Red Oneshot

This originally started as a oneshot about Red before his final match with Gold. A few people said they would be interested if I wrote a novelization of Gold/Silver/Crystal, and this is it. Here's the oneshot that started it all:

…**: A Pokemon Gold/Silver Oneshot in Red's POV**

My foot fell into the loose gravel that layered the mountain trail before me like a thin and creamy fudge frosting on a sweet, sweet ten-layer chocolate cake. The rich taste would always linger in my satisfied mouth as I rubbed my eyes, being blinded as I walked with excited steps through the towering golden arches, bathed within the glorious, brilliant lights of the beautiful Indigo Plateau that defined the cutthroat battles that raged on in front of me in thrilling detail to bring to a conclusion each every perfect birthday as I grew up, my small hands grasping lovingly those of my mom who baked those delectable pastries. My mom who I had left behind for a light I couldn't see.

I trotted along the path carved into the rock that surrounded me, my worn sneakers kicking up stones and dirt, my hand running along the wall as my eyes pierced through the darkness, searching relentlessly for the future that was among my most desperate desires. When you reach the top of world, what else is there left to do? Try to climb higher, obviously. That's why I'm here, scaling the heights of Mt. Silver. Professor Oak told me I would meet my next challenge here. I only hoped he wasn't referring to the wild pokemon as I watched my venusaur mercilessly throw a rhyhorn into the mountain with its mighty vines, leaving the poor rock-type to be buried in the crumbling wall.

I sighed as I continued my trek. Ever since the professor had given me my first pokemon, the venusaur whose victorious roar now shook the ground atop the range dividing Kanto and Johto, I spent my nights fantasizing about that one divine moment that I would stand at the pinnacle of the coveted Pokemon League, brandishing my trophy, my spoils of victory, my proof of ascending to the highest of ranks among pokemon trainers, the champion, the undefeatable master. That far off glimmer in the future, that light I was sure I would one day reach, drove me into battle against thousands of opponents. I was guided to victory by my urge to continue onward to my certain destiny.

That moment finally came when I beat Green in our final battle on the Indigo Plateau. My goal was finally met. I was the greatest trainer, the strongest trainer. No one could beat me. I held tight to my title with an iron fist that couldn't be broken. But maybe that wasn't what I really wanted. I enjoyed every battle I fought as I tried to get to this point. But after I got there, that thrill slowly depreciated with each victory. Maybe part of that thrill is the uncertainty of what's to follow. I wanted to win so that I could move on to my next challenge, and keep going. But from here, where is there left to go? If I win now, I would only fight another battle later for the same goal, again and again.

I continued to walk forward. Professor Oak told me to come here. It was Professor Oak who had set me off on my journey to begin with. My heart beat with a sudden excitement at the thought. Listening to the professor had to be worth it. It almost felt like it was worth it just to be here right now, striding along a mountain path, my shoes digging into ground that, until now, had been unbeaten, to travel into new territory and experience something new, to face the unknown once again as I had three years ago. I didn't know what Professor Oak had in mind for me on this little mission he had given me, and that uncertainty seemed to rekindle the old flame I had before I became the champion.

Yes, this journey was definitely necessary for me to grow even further. It was certainly a fact that humans are just not meant to reach perfection, to be the greatest at their endeavors, to never fail. People live because they believe in what the future has in store for them. However, when that future becomes the present, the glory and feeling of achievement will gradually go away and it eventually becomes a means to an end. A person's will to live must be infinite, but what becomes of that will when that person has no future? People must continue to fail to keep living. I pulled my vest closer to my body as the air around me grew chillier and grinned. So Professor Oak had sent me here to fail.

And now I could see the world expand below me. Here I stood at the top of Mt. Silver, only me and the loyal partners who have fought by my side for the past three years as my only companions at this lonely point on our green globe. I was truly standing on top of the world where no one could reach me. But I couldn't help but feel uneasy. However, with that uneasiness came a sense of excitement that sent my stomach hurling into a fit of somersaults. A feeling I haven't felt in three years. What could this challenge be that Professor Oak was so determined that I fail in? I know it couldn't be my imagination, my anxiety of coming to such a dangerous place. I was destined to fall from the top of the world.

And then he came. Venusaur stirred with low growls, eyeing the path we had come from with such ferocity. I heard the footsteps that bounced off the walls into the darkness as well. It couldn't be a wild pokemon. No wild pokemon had ever gotten Venusaur so excited, not even Mewtwo. I smiled. Professor Oak's challenge had arrived. The boy in the black-and-gold baseball cap looked at me with a fire in his eyes. The old fire I carried three years ago. We didn't need to speak. We knew what we were here for. In a split second, our pokeballs were in our hands before you could blink. A pikachu charged out of my ball, its fur surging with electric sparks, and an aipom out of his, flexing its muscles mockingly at me.

Well now, Professor Oak, let's see just what waits in the future beyond this battle. I won't fall without a fight, Gold!


	2. Prologue

**Prologue: Rain Dance**

The field was quiet except for the occasional crow of a roaming hoothoot. The night was cloudy, but the moon was able to shine a dim light through the thin overcast. A slowpoke blinked its eyes lazily as its gaze surveyed the landscape. The trees of the surrounding forests shook lightly with the gentle breeze. The wind slowly picked up and a small group of happily chatting hoppip was blown out of the tall, unruly grass and into the dark abyss that was the southern Johto Region. The slowpoke blinked again and let out a loud yawn. As it rolled over onto its back in the rustling grass and drifted off to a heavy sleep, a rumble of thunder roared in the sky and a steady stream of rain began to fall.

The water splattered onto the bright red tent set against the boundary of a forest nearby. The drumming sound of the drops reverberated around the small space in which a group of four men were sprawled out on the floor in sleeping bags, making small movements and snoring in their sleep. One of the men sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes. He scowled as he heard the rain hit the roof of the tent and reached into the corner, grabbing a large red hiking vest, pulling it over his blank white T-shirt. He eased his way into a pair of dusty blue jeans and slipped a couple bulky brown boots on. Adjusting a red baseball cap over his neatly combed black hair, he carefully crawled over his sleeping comrades and squeezed through the door. He looked out onto the landscape as it was soaked with the water, the grass startling to glimmer in the last few bleak glows of the moon as orange crept into the dark sky in the east.

As the man's thoughts drifted off to the distant town of Pallet, just on the other side of the mountain range separating the two regions of Kanto and Johto, a woman yawned and stretched, rising from her bed and letting the blankets fall lightly around her feet. She drowsily stepped into a pair of fluffy white slippers in front of her and walked down a carpeted hallway lined with potted, leafy plants at even intervals. Her oversized pajamas and slow, tired pace giving her the appearance of wandering ghost in the empty dark house.

The woman walked into the small, spotless kitchen and reached into a cupboard for a glass. While she stood in front of the tap and filled the glass, she drew the curtains back from the window above and glanced out at the downpour splashing against the glass. She drained the glass in a few gulps and sighed, closing her eyes and leaning against the counter doubled over. "What a terrible night for you to be out there," she spoke softly. She brushed a few strands of black hair out of her eyes and glanced at a portrait hanging from the wall nearby. It pictured her dressed in a flowing, light blue dress, her long hair held back in a bun, standing next to a broad shouldered man in a black suit. Even though it was to be a formal shot, her husband had refused to go without his favorite red baseball cap. In her arms was a small baby boy. His hair, having grown in quite a bit at this point in his life, stuck up at an angle similar to that of his father's when it wasn't combed. She smiled half-heartedly at the baby in the picture. "I wish I knew where you are, too."

The man gave an exasperated groan after his survey of the area. His hair and clothes were now matted down against his body from the rain falling around him. He frowned and scratched his back, his body starting to feel tight after the night in the tent. He was really starting to depreciate compared to his last quest just over three years ago. His thoughts were disrupted when he heard the distinct sound of a zipper behind him. The flap of the tent fell open to reveal the face of a younger man under a small stock of messy brown hair. The second man smiled when he noticed him. The man rolled his shoulders and straightened himself up, feeling his face glow red from being caught showing his age.

"The times are starting to catch up with you, eh, Crimson?" the younger man said with a grin. His voice was rather high pitched and cracked every now and then. At first, it annoyed Crimson beyond anything else, but after the last few months of working with the young professor now adjusting his round glasses, he grew used to it and hardly noticed it anymore.

"I suppose they are," Crimson grumbled and let a smile crease his face as well.

The man with eyeglasses pushed himself out of the tent and stood to his full height, which fell at least a good foot under Crimson. He was wearing his signature white lab coat over a teal dress shirt and brown slacks. Crimson never admired the professor for his attire of choice when it came to travelling, but also decided to let that go.

Crimson let out another tired breath and turned back to the soaked prairie spreading out around them. "I must thank you, Professor Elm," he said slowly, "for helping me continue my research."

The young man, Elm, nodded in a silent response and walked up to stand next to the taller man. "When Professor Oak discovered those three pokemon, I become interested as well," he said. A low growl sounded in Crimson's throat and the professor scratched his chin. "Of course, one must raise the question," he continued, "of what happened between you and Professor Oak. I doubt there was anyone who wasn't shocked when they heard the dream team that started the practice of pokemon training had broken up."

Crimson merely shrugged. "Just as time is stealing my health, it also dissolved our partnership," he replied. He watched as a pair of sentret scurried across the plains towards the forest, probably having been caught in the sudden downpour while out doing some early morning scavenging. "Nothing lasts forever, Professor, even the bonds between humans. Everyone has goals that can sometimes coincide, but eventually they do break apart." The sentret had now climbed up a tree and started picking berries from the branches. A beedrill appeared from the shadows and flew toward one of them. The targeted sentret cried out in fright but the other simply continued to eat.

"I see," Elm answered as he watched the scene that developed before them. "There is one thing I don't understand though. Why isn't Professor Oak interested in this project?"

Crimson snorted a laugh at this. "For being his disciple, Professor Elm, you sure no very little about Professor Oak," he said. "While he's a researcher, he also cares very deeply for pokemon. That is one of his vital weaknesses as a professor. He won't get anywhere if he cares more for their welfare than for the benefit of mankind from discovering everything we can about them."

"But, Professor Oak is trying to complete the pokedex, right?" Professor Elm interjected.

"He is," Crimson replied, "but he believes the information we are searching for will disrupt the natural balance of the world. He believes humans shouldn't know the secrets behind the legendary pokemon of life and death." He looked down to the young professor who raised an eyebrow. However, before Crimson could answer this unasked question, the tent door opened once again and two more men walked out into the rain. Crimson nodded toward them. "Good morning, Aureate, Sterling."

"Good morning," the shorter man, Sterling, replied with a smile. His short black hair was a mess and spiked down in front of his kind, almost childish eyes. He shivered against the cold rain as he was only wearing a golden colored hoodie.

The other man had long red hair combed back the length of his back and wore a long sleeved polyester shirt of a dark purple hue. He simply glared at Crimson and Professor Elm with annoyance in his dark eyes. "I hope we're close," Aureate said with a low grumble as he glanced around at the raining falling around him. "I can't I believe I agreed to come on this trip. You're just lucky I'm interested in finding strong pokemon."

Aureate's eyes widened and looked up to Sterling, who had just patted him roughly on the back with a chuckle. "Cheer up, Aureate," he said. "New Bark Town is getting pretty quiet, don't you think? This was a good chance for us to put a bit more excitement back into our lives." Aureate gave Sterling a scowl while Crimson and Professor Elm watched them with pitiful grins. The group then packed up the tent and sleeping bags in silence and threw their travelling packs over their backs. Everyone turned to Crimson as he stood to his full height and stretched his legs.

"Today's the day," he said and pulled a small device resembling a watch out of his pocket. He pressed a button and the screen blinked to a lively green light. The display showed a rather simple map that only showed pathways and directions. A label on the upper right corner of the screen named the name "Union Cave." "Mr. Pokemon downloaded a map of the cave onto my pokegear and has marked the spot where we believe the egg is." He held his free arm up and pointed forward.

The other men nodded and followed him over the hill. The slope came to a mound of earth. The age old cave had obviously suffered centuries of weathering. The roof was a crumbling shell of its former glory. If it weren't for the lose boulders and rocks, it would be a small plateau. The grass around the cave was dead from being buried under countless stones that had broken away and piled around the mouth of the cave, making it smaller than it had been years ago. Union Cave was one of the most peculiar spots in the Johto Region, attracting all people from tourists looking to take pictures and find souvenirs to travelers looking to challenge the cave. Due to its instability, many of these daring people had died in accidents. Those who had survived the cave speak of a monster living in the depths. Some of the local farmers have also claimed to hear horrifying cries occasionally coming from the cave.

Crimson lead the group over to the mouth that led deeper into the earth than their eyes could see. He stepped on a stone and twisted his heel against it. The stone sunk into the soaked ground and slipped away into the cave. Crimson quickly stepped back and regained his balance, then cleared his throat, pulling a coil of thick rope from a strap on the side of his bag. A hook was tied to the end that he struck into the dirt. "I'll go first," he said and faced the other three with stern eyes. "Don't follow until I tell you to."

They nodded and he squatted down and rolled over, sticking his legs into the small opening and, pushing the rest of his body slowly through. The rain rushed down his body as it fell with him into the cave below. Once he felt the muddy slope give away, he kicked his feet into the wall of the cave to giving himself footing and ducked his head through the opening, out of the sight of his companions who waited anxiously. Crimson dug into his pant pockets and pulled out a small flashlight, clicking it on. The sound bounced off the wet walls, giving a lazy echo, as he aimed the light downward and saw a good twenty or thirty foot drop to the floor. Gripping the flashlight in his teeth, he grabbed the rope and descended the wall. Once his feet met the dirt path, he tugged at the rope and shouted, "It's okay, just watch your step!"

Once Professor Elm, Sterling and Aureate climbed down into the cave after him, the group left the rope to dangle at the entrance to wait for them. As they traversed the cave farther and farther, the feeling of being in a large, endless maze grew heavier on the four men. Crimson led the way with the help of his pokegear and the flashlight kept startled wild pokemon dwelling in the darkness out of their way. The sounds of claws and feet reverberated off the stones all around them and the ground rumbled now and then when an onix or another kind of large pokemon moved. Professor Elm would constantly look back over his shoulder and make a startled yip if he saw a pair of eyes from a sandshrew or paras look back at him.

Crimson's pokegear started to beep, telling them it was already noon. He looked back and they nodded to his unasked question, collapsing against the walls and dropping their bags to their sides, pulling out sandwiches. They ate their meal in tired silence and continued their quest after what they agreed to be a good half an hour of rest. As they continued, the ground began to slope more, making it trickier for them to walk. They had to take small sliding strides while they pressed their hands to the walls to hold themselves in place. The air was becoming more humid and their throats were becoming dry. Crimson wiped some sweat from his brow and held the flashlight forward again to see what was ahead. The light showed the dark surface of still water several yards ahead of them.

He smiled and turned back to his companions. "This is it," he said and glanced at his pokegear, spotting the small blinking dot Mr. Pokemon had used to mark their target. He carefully approached the edge of and the light expanded, revealing the water to be a small lake that filled the cavern they now stood in. His eyes squinted and looked around, his heart beating with excitement, until they stopped on a thin stone pillar rising out of the dark water. The pillar ended in a small bowl that held a small white oval object. Smiling to himself, Crimson bent over and started to untie the laces of his boots.

Suddenly, he felt a hand clasp his shoulder, making him gasp in shock and look up to see Sterling smiling down at him. "Don't worry about it," Sterling said. "I'll get it." He walked to Crimson's side and took off his own shoes, socks, and hoodie. He dropped his bag with his clothes and dipped his foot into the water. His whole body shivered from the cold, but he shook it off with a grin to the rest of the group and he jumped into the lake. His head reappeared over the water, gasping for breath, before he started his swim toward the pillar. The water felt like it was clinging to his skin and trying to stop his movements, but he fought the sensation stubbornly.

Once he reached the pillar, he realized it was taller than it had looked from the shore. He gripped the rock with a violently shaking hand and pulled himself up and out of the water so that the surface rustled gently around his waist. He reached up and tried to grab the egg, but his wet fingers merely slipped along the smooth surface. He grunted and reached around it, pushing it toward him. The egg rolled over the edge and dropped toward the lake. Sterling quickly caught it between his chest and arm. The other three men who were waiting on the stone floor started to cheer and he looked back to them with a grin and a wink. He let go of the pillar with his other arm and plunged into the chilly water again.

Crimson watched on as Sterling's head resurfaced, but this time a look of pure terror was painted on his features. His heart leapt in his chest and he took an unconscious step forward. Stones broke off the edge of the floor and dropped into the water with small splashing sounds that broke the eerie silence of the cavern. He noticed Sterling wasn't moving as the black haired man stared frantically at them. "Sterling, what's wrong?" he cried out.

Sterling's breath was coming out in short, quick gasps. His shoulders were thrashing around as the water around him was broken with ferocious waves. "Crimson, help me!" he shouted in an exhausted voice, deathly fear resonating around every syllable. "I can't move my body!" However, before Crimson could respond, the water seemed to explode behind him. The whole cavern shook and the small geyser came crashing down over the lake like the downpour raining down on the land above. A large, snake-like shape rose over Sterling as he yelled for his comrades, his voice becoming weaker and weaker. The sea blue creature looked down on the struggling man with an angry look in its black eyes.

Crimson watched on, petrified, his face frozen in a surprised gape. He was brought out of his reverie by a splash to his side. He looked down to the dark water as Aureate's head emerged and he started swimming toward Sterling. The enormous creature watched the red haired man approach and roared at him. Waves fought against Aureate as he swam toward Sterling. He gasped as he felt a cold worse than he'd ever felt before burn against his skin. His legs were roaring in pain as they started severely cramping. He pushed his way to Sterling with his arms and frowned. Sterling's eyes were closed and his breathing was shallow.

Aureate grabbed the egg still clutched in the man's arm with both hands and turned toward Crimson and Professor Elm, who were nervously leaning over the edge of the lake and watching them. "Crimson, take the egg and get out of here!" he yelled and, with every ounce of strength he could muster, launched the object in his hands toward them. Crimson mechanically reached out and gripped the soaked egg with both hands, nearly toppling over into the water himself. He sighed and stood up, looking back out to Aureate and Sterling. "Get out of here, Crimson!" Aureate shouted again. He turned around and faced the monster towering about them and pulled an ultra ball out of his pocket with a grin on his face. "I'm not one to let rare and powerful pokemon get away from me." He thrust the ball at the creature but it simply swung its heavy head at the ball, which shattered on contact.

It roared ferociously again and giant flippers broke the surface on the lake. The water began to rise violently and a large wave grew in front of the creature. Aureate's cries were drowned out as the water crashed down over him and Sterling. The water rode the shockwave to the edge and splashed up feet above Crimson and Professor Elm, who leapt back. Crimson scowled and turned to Professor Elm. "We have to get out of here," he said. The creature cried again and another wave came soaring over them, causing the ground around them to start flood. They lifted their soaking feet out of the water and started scrambling up the path they had come from.

As the professor and Crimson ran up the slippery path, the cries of the creature in the lake below began to die out. The cave floor mercifully soon became flatter and drier. Panting for breath, the two men fell against the water and sat down. The egg rested peacefully in Crimson's arms.

"Was that the rumored monster?" Professor Elm said, his voice coming out in stammering gasps. He looked at the shaking Crimson beside him. "That was a pokemon, though. I'm pretty sure it was a lapras."

Crimson nodded and then spat on the ground at his feet. "I'm such an idiot," he said with a growl. "I knew the rumors but didn't believe them. And now, Sterling and Aureate, even after they volunteered to come along and help us…" His voice broke off as he didn't want to finish the thought. Professor Elm patted him on the shoulder. Crimson sighed and pushed himself back to his feet. "Come on," he said. "We'll have to get back to New Bark Town and let them know what happened." Without looking at Professor Elm, he started up the cave path again, holding the egg tightly to his chest.

Hope you liked it. Crimson, Sterling, and Aureate are my own characters. They are the parents of Red, Silver, and Gold respectfully if you hadn't caught on yet. And as a side note, I've always played the Silver version (for both the gen II and IV games), so I'm used to the hero being Silver. I tried to name him Gold but kept putting Silver by habit, so I'm going to stick with the hero as Silver and the rival as Gold for this fic. Sorry to any Pokemon Special fans who are probably about to eat my head off for this now. `^^


	3. The RedHaired Thief

And here's chapter 1. If you read, please review. Game novelizations aren't easiest things in the world to write well and I want to know if there's anything you think I should pick up on.

**Chapter 1: The Red-Haired Thief**

New Bark Town was a tiny village set into the hills of the eastern Johto Region, resting peacefully at the foot of the Silver Mountain range. The wide plains were unindustrialized, and relaxing breezes blew down from the peaks, keeping the air clean, healthy, and even tasty. It was a popular vacation spot for people wishing to wind down and enjoy a nice, refreshing rest before returning to their busy lives. Many injured athletes would come to New Bark Town during their rehabilitation, and it was the town of choice for retired people.

Of course, it wasn't known for its exciting sights and sounds. Twelve-year-old Silver knew this only too well. He often found himself wondering why there was even a school planted among the old redwood houses the dotted the grassy area. Any kid would be, as he put it, "bored out of their freaking mind," since his parents didn't like hearing him say the "other" word, for living in such a quiet town. He was one of the more popular kids in his sixth grade class and many of his followers agreed with him, but certainly didn't voice their opinions on the matter as much as Silver did.

On such occasions when Silver would be particularly "bored out of his freaking mind," he would conveniently decide to liven up the town to his liking at whichever spot he happened to be at the time. Such antics have, of course, earned him a rather demeaning reputation among the elderly living in New Bark Town. They all agreed that he was a brilliant little boy that would, hopefully, one day grow up to be something useful to the world. Unfortunately, he was currently too busy rearranging price tags at Dan's Supermarket or hacking intercoms to play "Baby Got Back" when the city council wanted to make a public service announcement. It was becoming increasingly difficult for even Mrs. Fern, the strict secretary at the local nursing home with her gray hair always tied back in a bun, to tell him off with a straight face when listening to "the mayor" proclaiming his love of big butts for the umpteenth time.

New Bark Town wasn't only a favorite resting spot for residents of the Johto Region, but Pokemon also frequently visited the villagers. Sometimes pokemon and people even helped each other out throughout the town. Pichu cheerfully provided their electricity to the power plant and some pidgey would even volunteer to carry signs advertising the newest and greatest products in a line of toothpastes or running shoes. Some of the local pokemon researchers would help injured pokemon in the wild or try and settle disputes between different pokemon tribes. Amongst all this, the gem of New Bark Town was the small laboratory Professor Elm had built to research pokemon evolution abroad for Professor Oak.

Silver brushed some loose black locks sticking out of his gold-and-black baseball cap away out of his eyes as he ducked down behind a pile of crates beside Professor Elm's Lab and looked up to see one of the advertisement pidgey flutter past across the clear blue sky, bearing a bright banner for the latest radio applications being developed in Goldenrod City for pokegears. He couldn't help but grin as he, once again, visualized his grand master plan for a welcome back for the professor. As punishment for the majority of his little pranks, he had been sent to Professor Elm's lab to take on one of the professor's more tedious tasks, such as helping one of his assistants catch a wild pokemon for closer study or to pick up one of his orders that had just arrived in the neighboring Cherrygrove City. Due to these frequent trips, he knew many of the tricks the building held. For example, the front door had a notch in the frame and the plate around the latch was loose. Using his father's screw driver which he had swiped from the garage, he had twisted the plate to stick into the notch. It would take Professor Elm a number of frustrating hours to even figure out why his door was stuck.

"What's wrong with this damn door?" Silver stifled a snicker as he heard the voice but even as he listened, something clicked in his mind and he realized the voice was way too deep to be Professor Elm's. Curious, he crawled over the crates he was hiding behind and sidled against the wall, stepping lightly to avoid making any noise. He craned his neck around the corner of the building and saw a boy standing in front of the lab. Silver considered the boy for a moment, but no matter how much he thought of his classmates, he couldn't recall anyone with long red hair.

The boy scowled before Silver could further think about him. "I guess I'll have to find another way in," he mumbled under his breath. He turned his back on Silver and started walking toward the other side of the building. "I will take those pokemon and get a Legacy for myself." Abandoning his better judgment, Silver jumped out of his corner and dashed for the stranger. He reached out to grab his shoulder, but whatever he was planning to do was pushed out of his mind. The boy turned around at his touch and Silver had to crane his neck to look him in the eyes, or else he'd just be staring at the front of his dark purple polyester shirt. "What do you want?" the boy asked with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

Silver shook off the initial shock of the stranger's height and glared at him. "I heard what you said," he answered firmly and pointed a finger in the boy's face to emphasize authority. "I won't let you steal from Professor Elm!" The boy snorted and answered by shoving Silver over. Rubbing his butt, Silver growled and looked up to see the boy disappear around the corner of the building. "Hey, wait!" he shouted, leaping to his feet and running after him. However, the boy was nowhere in sight. He surveyed the building but didn't see any broken windows. He walked along, peering into the dark lab, but didn't see anything. He sighed and turned to face the thick forests that bordered the lab to the north. Deciding the boy must have ran off, he decided to head home.

Silver walked along the tidy roads of the town. If New Bark Town couldn't have been more boring, the people who built the town had arranged the houses into neat blocks lines with colonial houses of assorted colors, the side paneling and the bushes in the front yards kept well groomed by their proud owners. The late afternoon air was filled with the scent of fathers busy over their grills while kids and young pokemon played in the driveways, supervised by their mothers. He spotted a few of his friends and returned their waves. "There was a jerk skulking around Professor Elm's lab," was his answer when they asked why he seemed so angry. It was just another typical day in the neighborhood, and no typical day was complete without a call from his neighbor across the street, Crystal. Silver looked up into the large leafy tree standing beside the white one-story house to see his blue-haired friend perched on a branch, her legs swing back and forth carelessly, and waving at him.

Silver gave her a smile and walked over. He climbed up the tree and hung over the lowest branch. While the two of them started talking, Silver's mind drifted off to thoughts of his best friend. He and Crystal had known each other for their entire lives. Living across the street from each other, their parents were close friends and they saw each other nearly every day. As they grew up, Crystal became one of the toughest girls Silver ever knew. She was relentless to those who hurt her or her friends, but was also very sweet to those close to her, and Silver just found it too irresistible.

"So, what have you got planned today?" Crystal asked in her soft voice. Silver knew she was referring to his daily pranks. She loved to hear what would happen.

"Well, Professor Elm is coming back from his trip to the Union Cave today," Silver answered simply. "I tweaked the door latch to stick." Suddenly he remembered the boy who had been trying to get into the lab. "Hey Crystal, do you know a boy about our age with long red hair?"

"A boy with long red hair," Crystal repeated and held a finger to her lips, humming to her thoughts. She leaned back and forth precariously in the tree but didn't show any sign of being afraid of falling. "No, I can't think of anyone. Why do you ask?"

Silver rolled his shoulders to readjust his grip on his branch, merely staring as his dangling feet. "There was someone trying to get into the lab," he answered and closed his eyes, trying to remember what the boy had said. "He wanted to steal something from the professor and get revenge on something that happened to his dad."

"Wow, that sounds serious," Crystal replied and Silver could picture the look of shock on her face. While it was true no one really knew the professor personally, everyone figured him to be a peaceful man because he typically kept to himself, usually buried in his studies in the lab. "Well, Silver," Crystal continued and he looked up to see her point at his house, "the professor's at your house right now. You could ask him."

Silver looked at the short driveway across the street set beside a two-story colonial house, which was painted a pleasant green. "Really, he's back?" Silver said excitedly and dropped down from the branch. "That must mean Dad's home, too! Hey Crystal, I'll see you later!"

They smiled and waved to each other as Silver ran across the street and opened to door, walking through the threshold into a beautiful and comfy living room lined with a fluffy white carpet, giving the illusion of stepping onto a cloud. Silver reached down to untie his laces. Of course, his mother was quite picky about keeping the house clean, but he couldn't complain. The hominess of it all was well worth it. However, he immediately noticed something wasn't the same home sweet home as always. Halfway thought pulling his shoes off, he heard sniffling and looked around the room. His mother was sitting on the couch dressed in her favorite apron with a soup ladle lying on her lap. Her face was buried in her hands and her black hair, which she had tied back in two large loops.

Silver's eyes wandered to the side and he saw Professor Elm seated next to her, rubbing her gently on the back. He looked up and gave Silver an awkward, shaky smile that he meant to be friendly and assuring and turned back to his weeping mother, who wouldn't move. Almost tripping out of his shoes, Silver regained his balance and walked toward them. "Professor?" he said, his voice cracking a bit as his heart started to uncomfortably beat like mad in his chest. "What's wrong with Mom?"

The professor looked up again, this time not bothering to try and hide the grief in his face. "Silver, I don't know how to say this," he started. Silver's mother gave a couple loud cries as Elm spoke and he rubbed her on the back again before continuing, "Silver." He stopped again, hesitant. He closed his eyes and faced the floor, speaking slowly. "Silver, there was an accident at Union Cave. He was attacked by a wild lapras."

Silver just stared at him, not knowing what to think. Maybe he couldn't think at all. He felt distant, like he was watching the professor on a television screen. He wanted to hit the power button and just sit in darkness. Everything around him felt like it was falling apart, that he was being dragged into the earth. He cringed, sniffing and choking back tears, and dashed for the door. He only stopped to hastily replacing his tennis shoes and flew out the door, ignoring the professor's cries for him to come back. Even Crystal's calls only touched deaf ears when he ran across the yard and down the street.

Where he was going, he didn't know nor care. The quiet town of New Bark vanished from his sight in a colorful blur as it flew by him, ignorant to his thoughts. He wanted to get away. He wanted to find his father. He knew Sterling had to be hiding somewhere. This was all a joke, and a cruel one at that. Never before had he wanted to prove someone wrong as much as he did now. The blurred houses were gone now and the outline of Professor Elm's lab slowly materialized before him.

Silver just stood there for a couple moments, staring at the tan building. Suddenly, a shrill buzzing noise broke him from his reverie. He saw the blink of a red light through the front windows and a thin, tall figure formed around the corner. The red haired boy was running for the western outskirts of New Bark Town, clutching a palm sized red-and-white ball that glistened in the late afternoon sunlight. Silver simply watched. Whatever anger he held toward the stranger had been flooded out by the overwhelming anxiety and resentment toward Professor Elm's words.

He jumped in surprise as the middle aged professor's words finally reached his ears. "Silver, who was that?" he said with shallow breathes but didn't wait for the answer. He jogged past Silver toward the lab and Silver followed him absentmindedly. Professor Elm dug in his lab coat pocket and pulled out a ring of silver keys, swinging randomly against each other and tried one, trying to pull the door open, but to no avail. "What's wrong with this door?" he yelled to no one in particular.

Silver, walking up behind him, shook his head and grinned sheepishly. "Sorry about that, professor," he said, pulling his father's screw driver out of his shorts pocket and sticking it between the wall and door, working the latch loose from the wood. After pocketing the tool again, he looked up to meet Professor Elm's blank look. "Well, it was my welcome back prank for when you came back from you trip," Silver answered the professor's unasked question. "It worked, huh?"

Professor Elm sighed pitifully and pulled the door open. "I'll be angry about that later, Silver," he said as he walked into the dark room with Silver behind him. His ears were filled with the noise of the alarm and he could barely make out the outline of the room from the dim flashing red light. The professor pressed a button, turning off the alarm, and flicked a light switch on the wall and the dark room materialized around them, its chromed surfaces glittering brilliantly. The walls were lined with crammed book shelves and large computer displays. A couple cylindrical glass cases stood at either corner of the opposite side of the laboratory. Inside, countless pokeballs, like the one the red haired boy had just run off with, rested on the spiral racks that crawled up the inner walls of the machines. A metal table with dips was connected to one of the computer monitors – a machine, commonly used in pokemon centers, designed to instantly recover most minor injuries on pokemon.

The professor ran toward a simple wood table in the back that looked shockingly out of place alongside the computers dotting the room. It was covered in stray papers scrawled with notes and formulas, pens and calculators, and, on top of the mess, rested two pokeballs. Silver followed the professor and, when he looked at his face, noticed that Elm was frowning. "Silver, do you know who that kid was?" he asked.

Silver looked glanced past the professor and noticed the window farthest back along the western wall was shattered. "No," he answered, turning to face the professor again. "I don't know who he is, but I have seen him before. He was trying to get in here earlier and he said something about getting revenge on you for something that happened to his father."

The professor dropped his head before replying, "He must be Aureate's son, Gold. Your father wasn't the only one to die on that trip. There was another man named Aureate who tried to save Sterling, but they both became trapped by the lapras's freezing attacks. I heard from his wife that Gold ran away from their home in Cherrygrove City after he heard the news." He looked up, picked up the two pokeballs on the table, and turned to Silver again, holding one of them forward. "Silver, these are new pokemon Professor Oak recently discovered and entrusted to me. Gold took one of them. Will you take this one and help me catch him?"

Silver looked at the ball blankly for a moment, not thinking but just staring at it as if it were going to do something. He absentmindedly reached out and took it, rolling it around in his palm, inspecting it as if he were confused what it was. He looked up at Professor Elm questioningly.

"I know this is sudden, but I trust you," the professor said, "and I'm sure you want to get that pokemon back just as much as I do. Silver, these pokemon are important to our research. If we lose them, your father's death will have been in vain."

Silver's mind suddenly snapped away at that and he nodded, fully aware of his surroundings again. "You're right, professor," he said, closing his grip around the ball, feeling a renowned sense of attraction to it. He could feel the pokemon inside move around, perhaps feeling as anxious as he did, as the pokeball began to vibrate violently. Before his eyes, it burst open, emitted a blinding beam of white light that hit the floor at his feet and took a stubby shape with a long mouth standing on two legs before vanished to reveal a two-foot tall, blue-scaled alligator glancing up at him curiously.

"This is the water pokemon, Totodile," the professor said simply to answer Silver's questioning stare. He knelt down and gave the blue pokemon a stroke on the head, saying, "Totodile, this is Silver. Please help him in any way you can today." The totodile smiled broadly at Elm and started to hop around excitedly. The professor chuckled and stood up again to face Silver. "He sure seems excited to be out," he said and sighed. "Pokemon love to roam around freely, but my research prevents me from spending much time with each of our pokemon individually and they spend most of their time in their pokeballs. Anyway Silver, let's head out to Route 29 and look for Gold. We'll meet up in Cherrygrove City in two hours."

The three took off out of the lab and made for the wooded plains stretching out against the sun hanging low in the sky. Silver had been here many times on Professor Elm's errands, but the orange tinge settling over the rolling green hills and the thought of the mysterious thief out there, running down the dirt path toward Cherrygrove City with Totodile by his side felt entirely different. But that feeling of thrill wore off after about five minutes or searching thoroughly through tree branches and bushes. Trying to find Gold seemed to become more impossible as he went, and he was becoming, once again, "bored out of his freaking mind."

While Silver was bent doubled over, his face buried in leaves and branches looking for any sign of Gold, he heard a buzzing noise and pulled himself out as a beedrill flew past him and perched on a branch above. Silver sneered and turned to Totodile, who was searching in another bush nearby. "Hey Totodile, quick, up there!" he shouted and the water pokemon jumped out of the bush without delay, blindly shooting a jet of water in the direction Silver pointed. The water gun attack hit an apple dangling above the beedrill, knocking it loose and sending it falling onto the bug pokemon's head. "Nice shot," Silver called, running to Totodile's side with a hand out, "high five!" Totodile smiled and leapt up to slap his hand.

The buzzing picked up again and the two stopped their laughing to look up. The beedrill had taken flight again, glaring at them angrily. Silver grinned. "So, you want to battle?" he said and turned to Totodile. "Totodile, hit it with another water gun!" Totodile nodded, opening his mouth wide, and shooting more water at the bug pokemon. It passed by the beedrill, harmlessly pushing it back a bit. Silver gulped as its eyes seemed to glow and it dived toward them. With a cry, Silver and Totodile turned around and took off in a dead sprint, forgetting which direction they were going in.

Silver ignored everything else around him as they ran, only focusing on the buzzing noise which he started to notice was growing louder. Chancing a glance behind him, he noticed the beedrill had called some friends. "I don't think we're going to escape this one, buddy," Silver said through panting breaths. "We're going to have to fight them somehow. But - ouch!" With his attention behind him, Silver hadn't seen the stone cliff ahead of them and ran head long into it with Totodile. They staggered backwards, rubbing their throbbing heads. "We had to run north, didn't we?" Silver groaned, realizing they had run into Route 46, the mountainous region heading to Blackthorn City.

The two of them turned around to face the swarm of beedrill as they formed a circle around them, closing them in against the cliff. "I guess we're out of options, Totodile," Silver said, backing against the rocks. "If water won't work against them, tackle them to the ground!" The water pokemon nodded and lunged toward one of the beedrill in the ring, grabbing it around the torso and pushing it into the grass.

"Watch out, Totodile!" Silver shouted as two of them flew down toward Totodile, aiming their needles at him. Totodile leapt over the oncoming pokemon with a back flip. Caught off guard, the two beedrill ran into each other and fell in a heap on top of the first one. Silver chuckled at the sight and gave Totodile a thumbs-up. "Right on!" However, he didn't notice the beedrill that had aimed toward him. Totodile growled and fired a jet of water at it, pushing it into the wall behind them. The beedrill groaned and fell to the ground, its wings crumpled up from the attack.

Silver smiled at Totodile but saw him frowning. More beedrill were approaching from the trees to replace the ones that had fallen. They started dive-bombing Totodile from all sides in groups of twos and threes. Totodile started to dance around, dodging the attacks, and firing his own when he got a chance, but Silver could see him panting from the effort. How long the little water pokemon would be able to keep this up, Silver didn't know.

Suddenly, the clearing lit up brilliantly, stunning all of them. An earsplitting sound erupted around them and a beam of bright golden light shot through the beedrill. The beedrill cried in pain, some falling to the ground, unconscious, while the others fled in fear. Totodile had ducked up the beam and slowly pushed himself back to his feet when the area had returned to its regular dim, red lighting. Silver lowered his arm which he had used to shield his eyes. The two of them just looked around to see the several beedrill that had fallen victim to the sudden attack. "What was that, Totodile?" he asked softly, finally finding his voice.

The sound of crunching leaves answered his question and he peered into the trees to his right, where the attack had come from. A small green pokemon trotted out, the leaf on its head swaying from side to side with each step. Silver's eyes widened as a slim figure materialized behind it. The red-haired thief glanced around the air, his eyes stopping on Totodile, and spat. "Figures I'd miss the actual target," he said and then looked to the side and noticed Silver still sidling the cliff. "What? Why do you have that totodile?"

Silver shook his head, regaining his composure and glaring at Gold. "Professor Elm gave him to me to help track you down," he said firmly and pointed at the pokemon at Gold's feet. "Now give back that pokemon! Professor Elm needs it back!" Totodile jumped in front of him, glaring daggers at Gold.

Gold sneered at this. "You have no idea what these pokemon are for, kid," he said, "and even if you did, you're too much of a wimp to do it. So then…" He took a step forward and held a hand forward. The green pokemon followed him. "I need all three of them - Chikorita, Totodile, and Cyndaquil – and you have Totodile. Hand it over now!"

Silver furrowed his eyebrows and stepped forward as well, sizing himself up. "You think I'd just give Totodile to a thief like you?" he declared and pointed at Gold. "Let's battle right now! The winner will take both pokemon!" Totodile cried out and started walking forward.

Gold scoffed and nodded to the green pokemon, who started to walk forward as well. "Fine, if you really want to go through with that," he said. "But I won't lose to a wimp like you who has no power! Totodile and Cyndaquil will mine, and bring me the ultimate power!" He started to laugh maniacally as the two pokemon met each other halfway between the two boys. They stared each other down under the red evening sky.

Alright, so this is all I have written so far. I'm going to alternate between updates of Run for the Sun and this, so the next chapter should be done in about 2-4 weeks. Cya then!


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